Old Hei knocked me down again and again.

 

But I stood up again and again.

 

Blood flowed from the corners of my mouth and nose, staining my clothes red, glaringly red.

 

Just like my father, who had his legs and arms broken.

 

And the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around him, equally glaring.

 

I was knocked down by Old Hei once again.

 

This was already the ninth time.

 

Old Hei was also panting heavily, exhausted.

 

Sometimes, hitting someone required more physical effort than getting hit.

 

Standing in front of me, Old Hei no longer had his previous arrogance.

 

"Kid, as long as you admit defeat, I'll let you go…"

 

Old Hei's tone was almost pleading.

 

But I remained silent.

 

Slowly, I stood up again.

 

Wiping the blood from the corners of my mouth, I stared at Old Hei with bloodshot eyes and asked him in return:

 

"I don't admit defeat. Do you?"

 

My words made Old Hei somewhat collapse.

 

Clearly, it was me who was knocked down.

 

Yet I asked him if he admitted defeat.

 

The crowd watching the spectacle grew larger and larger.

 

Seeing me stand up once again, the onlookers whispered among themselves.

 

"This kid is really stubborn. Just admit defeat and it'll be over…"

 

"You have to say this kid is a man. He doesn't admit defeat even after being beaten so much. He's really tough!"

 

"Don't fight anymore. If it continues, someone might die…"

 

Seeing that Old Hei didn't speak, I licked the blood from the corner of my mouth again.

 

The taste was faintly bloody.

 

"Old Hei, if you don't admit defeat, I won't either. Today's matter is about the gambling round, so let's settle it with a gamble. I'll bet against you, dare you?"

 

"What are we betting on?"

 

Old Hei asked me.

 

"Just wait!"

 

After saying that, I separated from the crowd.

 

And walked towards a hardware store nearby.

 

The boss was originally standing at the door watching the commotion, but when he saw me covered in blood approaching, he hurriedly stepped aside in fear.

 

Inside the store, I picked up two sharp knives that were several tens of centimeters long and walked out.

 

The boss didn't dare to come over and ask for money.

 

But I still took out a hundred yuan and placed it on the tea table by the door.

 

I'm not a thief, nor a robber.

 

I am The Swindler!

 

A Swindler with principles and boundaries!

 

If you take someone's things, you have to pay.

 

Holding the two knives, I slowly walked towards Old Hei.

 

Under the streetlight, my lonely shadow stretched long.

 

And the sharp blades, in the reflection of the light, gleamed with a chilling coldness.

 

The crowd of onlookers unconsciously made way for me.

 

When I reached Old Hei, I handed him the handle of the knife.

 

"Take it!"

 

Old Hei didn't move, he didn't understand what I meant.

 

"I'm telling you to take it!"

 

I shouted.

 

Old Hei's tall body trembled involuntarily, and he obediently took the knife.

 

"You asked me what we're betting on, and now I'll tell you. You and I are betting our lives!"

 

Ah?

 

Betting our lives?

 

The onlookers exclaimed in surprise.

 

Everyone instinctively stepped back.

 

As if afraid that the splattering blood would stain them.

 

"How are we betting?"

 

Old Hei furrowed his brows tightly and asked me.

 

"You stab me with a knife first, and then I'll stab you with a knife. We repeat this process, and the first one to die loses!"

 

Old Hei's face changed drastically.

 

He looked at me, but didn't say a word for a long time.

 

He had fought in the world, been in the boxing ring, seen blood, and fought for his life.

 

But he had never seen this kind of fighting style.

 

"I came up with the gambling method, so you can go ahead and make the first move!"

 

I lowered my hands and looked at Old Hei expressionlessly.

 

It seemed like I was prepared to be stabbed.

 

Old Hei's expression became extremely complicated.

 

Surprise, doubt, and panic appeared on his face at the same time.

 

"Make a move?"

 

Seeing that Old Hei still didn't make a move, I sternly shouted.

 

But Old Hei stood still as if he was stunned, not moving at all.

 

"Fine, since you refuse to make a move, then I'll go first!"

 

Saying that, I tightly gripped the knife.

 

And slowly walked towards Old Hei.

 

With each step, Old Hei's face became more terrified.

 

When I reached Old Hei, I didn't hesitate at all.

 

Holding the knife, I stabbed towards his abdomen.

 

"Ah!"

 

The crowd let out a gasp.

 

The timid ones even covered their eyes and turned their heads away.

 

"Stop! I admit defeat! You win!"

 

As Old Hei roared, he threw the knife in his hand to the ground with a clang.

 

And he quickly stepped back.

 

My knife missed.

 

And Old Hei admitted defeat.

 

I continued to stare at Old Hei, my expression cold.

 

"What did you say? I didn't hear you!"

 

"I admit defeat, I admit defeat to you!"

 

Old Hei immediately repeated.

 

There was still panic in his tone.

 

"You admit defeat to me? Who am I?"

 

"Chu Liu!"

 

"Wrong, remember, from now on, when you see me, you have to call me Master Chu Liu!"

 

"Master, Master Chu Liu!"

 

Old Hei completely admitted defeat, both in his heart and mind.

 

Much later, when talking about this one-on-one fight.

 

Old Hei once said that whether in the boxing ring or in the world.

 

He had fought for his life with others, but he had never been afraid.

 

But that day, when we bet our lives, he was afraid.

 

That fear came from within.

 

It seemed like I was the towering mountain he could only look up to, someone he couldn't overcome.

 

He said it was a kind of aura.

 

An aura that made it impossible for you to breathe.

 

Master Liu also said.

 

I carry the star of calamity in my destiny, and my heart hides the seven killings.

 

Even when I had just started learning The Swindler techniques and my skills were lacking.

 

But the sharpness of my aura and the stability in my heart were not inferior to many experts of The Swindler Sect.

 

Master Liu thought I was born with it.

 

He had no idea that if I hadn't seen my father die a tragic death in front of me, if I hadn't been tortured like a dog countless times, how could I have such a soaring hostility?

 

The onlookers never expected that the confrontation between me and Old Hei would end with Old Hei admitting defeat.

 

I no longer paid attention to Old Hei, but looked at Hou Jun and Chen Xiaoxue coldly, and asked:

 

"Is it an apology or are you coming with me? You can choose for yourselves!"

 

Hou Jun's lips moved slightly, wanting to say something.

 

But when he looked at me covered in blood, he chose to remain silent.

 

It was Chen Xiaoxue beside him who spoke directly:"I won't apologize, I'll just go with you!"

 

With that, she didn't even glance at Hou Jun, swaying her slender waist, she walked up to me.

 

She reached out and hooked my arm.

 

This intimate gesture made it seem like her man wasn't Hou Jun, but me.

 

Hou Jun was dumbfounded, and I was helpless.

 

My original plan was to have Chen Xiaoxue apologize to me as a punishment for her disrespect towards my parents.

 

As for taking her away, it was just to scare her.

 

But unexpectedly, she really went with me.

 

And, she didn't seem unhappy at all.

 

I had no choice but to take her with me.

 

As we passed by a small courtyard, an old man with silver hair, holding a half-moon purple clay teapot, was sitting at the entrance. He laughed and shouted at me:

 

"Kid, you can't fight either. If it was me fighting that big fool just now, I could have knocked his teeth out with a couple of punches. Believe it or not? Hahaha……"

 

From the dispersing crowd, someone shouted:

 

"Old Wu, you're bragging again. With your physique, one finger could knock you down!"

 

Old Wu laughed heartily, not caring at all.

 

I've seen this old man many times.

 

Every time I came to the supermarket to play cards, I had to pass by his house.

 

I often saw him sitting by the small table at the entrance, holding his half-moon purple clay teapot, drinking tea and chatting.

 

I thought that when I took Chen Xiaoxue away, she would be terrified.

 

But to my surprise, not only was she not scared at all.

 

Instead, she kept curiously looking at me from time to time.